Basketball: Hastings Boys High seniors win only one 3 x 3 game

Hastings Boys High School junior A players Tzar Smiler (left), Kael Walker Hohipa, coach Regan Spooner, Lamour Spooner and Kane Collier. Photo / Warren Buckland

The Hastings Boys High School senior A basketball team lost three of their four matches at the 3x3 secondary schools' nationals in Tauranga today.

They beat Kavanagh College (Dunedin) 21-8 but went down to St John's (Hamilton) 20-19, Palmerston North Blues 16-15 in overtime and Northcote 18-15 (Te Puke defaulted).

"We actually beat Palmy because they discounted one of our baskets but the videotape proved the referee made a wrong call," coach Curtis Wooten said.

However, Wooten said in defence of the referees the game was played at a frantic pace and "it was a mistake that you've got to live with".

He said the senior side were definitely out of the division one playoff berths.

"It was a good experience and we've learned a lot being here," he said after HBHS became the first Hawke's Bay school to enter the nationals in five years of the tourney's existence.

"There are a lot of things that we can do differently for next year."

Wooten said they had four more games to play tomorrow and would most likely end up playing for anywhere between eight to 16 playoff berths.

The Junior A side beat Tai Tao Wananga 12-2, Fraser 18-17 but lost 17-16 to Rongotai.